George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), says northerners nursing presidential ambition in 2027 should wait until 2031.
Akume spoke on Sunday during his appearance on ‘Politics Today,’ a TVC programme.
The SGF said those eyeing the presidency in 2027 should allow President Bola Tinubu the opportunity to complete a potential second term.
He also asked Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, not to seek the exalted seat in 2027.
“Today, it’s what I said at the convocation of Nile University, where I was given an honorary doctorate. I appealed to my brothers in the north to wait till 2031 to run for presidential election,” the SGF said.
“It is not yet the time for the north to throw in the hat in the ring. It’s not yet the time.
“This has been my appeal to them. Let us not destroy our country because of personal ambition.
“Tinubu, as a southerner, should be allowed to have a second term, meaning that those eyeing the presidency from the north in 2027 should look beyond that year by waiting till 2031.
“If it is the will of God for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to be president of Nigeria, even at the age of 90 years, he can get it, but he and other northerners, eyeing the office now, should look beyond 2027.
“But my advice, and this has been consistent, is that let us not rock the boat.
“Let us allow this power to reside in the south for eight years, and from there it will come to the north. To do otherwise, honestly, is to destroy this country.”
‘TAX REFORMS WELL-ENVISIONED FOR NIGERIA’
Akume also said the proposed tax bills are visionary legislations designed to rescue the nation’s economy.
He asked Nigerians to allow the tax reform bills to pass through legislative processes, adding that Tinubu still enjoys goodwill despite some of his economic policies.
“President Tinubu, through the reform bills, wants to reposition the nation’s economy as he earlier did with the removal of the fuel subsidy and harmonisation of the foreign exchange windows in the country,” the SGF said.
“It is very easy to destroy but difficult to build; the various reforms being rolled out are meant to rebuild the destroyed Nigeria by previous administrations.
“Very soon, Nigerians will start seeing results from the reforms being carried out.”
Since their introduction by Tinubu in early October, the bills have sparked debate across the country, with strong opposition coming from northern stakeholders.
The legislations comprise the Nigeria tax bill, Nigeria tax administration bill, Nigeria Revenue Service establishment bill, and the Joint Revenue Board establishment bill.
Critics have raised concerns over the economic impact of the proposed changes to the value-added tax (VAT) distribution system, arguing that it could disproportionately affect their states.